Pneumatic logical relays system for remote-controlling and monitoring a thermal engine

ABSTRACT

Device for operating an air-starting engine comprising a first control means which receives starting trigger pulses and supplies a storage unit actuating a pre-lubrication pump and a fuel-supply valve, a first time-lag device with a transit time t1, which at the end of the time t1, opens a starting-air valve and closes said pump, a second time-lag device with a transit time t2, acting upon said storage unit which, at the end of the time t1 + t2, suppresses the pressure upon said starting-air valve and upon said fuel-supply valve.

United States Patent Zucca et al. 1 May 23, 1972 [54] PNEUMATIC LOGICAL RELAYS [56] References Clted SYSTEM FOR REMOTE-CONTROLLING UNITED STATES PATENTS AND MONITORING A 2 580 368 12/1951 S al 192/3 tevens et ENGINE 2,931,166 4/1960 King ..60/ 16 [72] Inventors: Marc Edouard Zucca; Jean-Paul Filippi, 3,282,259 1 1/1966 Moor ..123/4l both of La Ciotat, France 3,394,873 7/1968 Reese et a1 ..230/4 [73] Assignee: Chantiers Navals de la Clstat, La Ciotat Pn-ma ry ExammerLaurence M. Goodrldge (Bouchesidu'Rhonw Franceby sald Att0rney-Kenyon & Kenyon Reilly Carr & Chapin ca, a part interest [22] Filed: July 2, 1969 This Patent filed under Rule 4721.

[21] Appl. No.: 3,590 [57] ABSTRACT Related Application Data Device for operating an air-starting engine comprising a first [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. N0. 666,052, Sept. 7, means which receifes Starting g Pulses and P- 1967 abandoned plies a storage unit actuating a pre-lubricatlon pump and a fuel-supply valve, a first time-lag device with a transit time 1,, [30] Foreign Application Priority Dam which at the end of the time 1,, opens astarting-air valve and closes said pump, a second time-lag device with a transit time July 1 l, France "1 acting upon said torage unit which at the end fthe time [I tf, suppresses the pressure upon said starting-air valve and U.S. F, upon valve [51] Int. Cl ..F0lb 27/04, FOlb 29/04 [58] Field of Search 123/179 A, 179 F, 179 L, 41; 13 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAY 2a 1972 SHEET 1 BF 2 be No e or PATENTEDMMQ I972 3.664.123

SHEEI 2 (IF 2 PNEUMATIC LOGICAL RELAYS SYSTEM FOR REMOTE-CONTROLLING AND MONITORING A THERMAL ENGINE This is a continuation-in-part of application, Ser. No. 666,052 filed on Sept. 7, 1967, now abandoned.

A related application, Ser. No. 647,767, now US. Pat. No. 3,512,387, is co-pending.

The present invention has essentially for its object a pneumatic logical relays system for remote-controlling and monitoring a thermal driving engine, especially a compressed-air starting marine Diesel engine, of the type comprising a pneumatic pump for the pre-lubrication oil and possibly allowing also to drain off the motor, an ON/OFF fuel delivery valve, an inlet valve for the starting air and a number of security apparatus sensitive to fluid pressure, air temperature, rotating speed of the engine, etc these apparatus being provided to deliver a safety pressure as soon as one of the aforementioned physical data reaches a rated limit value.

According to a salient feature of the invention, the aforesaid system is especially remarkable in that it includes essentially a first control means receiving the starting trigger pulses, a storage unit supplied by said first control means, a first unit controlling the pre-lubrication pump, a second unit operating the fuel ON/OF F valve, these two units respectively actuating said pump and setting said ON/OFF valve under pressure upon receiving a trigger pulse, delivered directly or not, by said storage unit, a third unit controlling said starting-air valve, a first time-lag device with a rated transit time t, and monitoring said third unit controlling the starting-air valve as well as the unit operating the pre-lubrication valve, a second control means driven by said storage unit and acting, upon reception of a trigger pulse, on said time-lag device which, at the end of the time t,, opens the starting-air valve and closes the pre-lubrication valve, a second time-lag device with a rated transit time t acting upon the aforesaid storage unit which, at the end of the time t, t breaks the starting control circuit and consequently suppresses the pressure exerted upon the starting air valve and upon the fuel ON/OFF valve, and finally a stopping memory, the aforementioned security apparatus applying, when looked, a pressure closing the startingair valve and transmitting a safety pressure to said fuel supply ON/OF F valve in order to keep the engine running after the end of the starting stage.

According to another salient feature of the invention, the aforementioned first control means is made up by a regenerator relay connected to a fluid circuit under a pressure P the excitation chamber of said regenerator relay being connected to the circuit delivering the starting trigger pulse.

According to another salient feature of the invention, the aforesaid storage unit is made up by a relay supplied under a pressure p such that P, P said relay being controlled by both the aforementioned regenerator relay and said second time-lag device, while itself operates said second control means.

Still according to the invention, the unit controlling the prelubrication valve is constituted by a relay supplied by said second control means and driven by said time-lag device, this relay delivering an operating pressure onto a distributor connected with said pre-lubrication valve.

The unit monitoring said fuel supply ON/OFF valve comprises a first relay operated by said storage unit and a second relay introduced within the load circuit of said first relay, this second relay delivering an operating pressure onto a distributor connected with the fuel supply ON/OFF valve.

According to still another feature of the invention, the third unit controlling said starting-air valve comprises a relay supplied by the aforesaid second control means and operated by said first time-lag device, this relay delivering an operating pressure to a distributor connected with said starting-air valve.

Still according to the invention, the aforementioned first time-lag device is made up by a relay delivering exciting pressures to both the prelubrication relay and the relay of the third unit controlling said starting-air valve, the excitation chamber of said time-relay being connected, by means of a constriction and a storage vessel, to the load circuit of said second control means.

Many other features and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings, given only by way of example, and wherein FIG. 1 represents the overall schematic diagram of the system according to the present invention FIG. 1a is a diagrammatic view of a compressed-air starting engine indicating how the system of FIG. 1 is connected thereto;

FIGS. 2 to 6 represent diagrammatically devices used in the system illustrated on FIG. 1, these devices being represented only for explaining purposes;

FIG. 2 represents a pneumatic logical relay;

FIG. 3 represents a pneumatically actuated two-way valve means;

FIG. 4 represents a pneumatically actuated three-way valve means;

FIG. 5 represents a manually actuated three-way valve means;

FIG. 6 represents an electrically actuated three-way valve means.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a pneumatic logical relays device according to the invention, comprising 27 pneumatic logical relays, indicated by reference numbers 1 to 27.

FIG. 1a shows an example of an engine with which the device of FIG. 1 can be used. The engine indicated by is a usual marine Diesel engine with a pneumatic starting and provided with a pre-lubricating and draining-off system and safety units.

The device shown in FIG. 1 is provided to be operated either manually, at the very station where it is installed (local operation), or from a distance (remote-control), or again in an automatic way (automatic control), for instance in the case of a tension failure at the terminals of an electric generator, when said generator of electric current is driven by the engine.

The relays 1 to 27, which are all based upon one and the same principle of action, comprise each, as shown by the skeleton diagram of FIG. 2, two distinct casings S and T which constitute respectively a three-channel valve and the control unit of this valve, both casings being separated by a fluid-tight partition U upon which a tiltable blade V is hingedly fastened. The casing T itself is divided into two distinct chambers a first chamber T called excitation chamber, and a second chamber T the separation between chambers T, and T being achieved by means of a resilient diaphragm W. A spring X, housed within chamber T keeps normally the tilting blade V in the position represented on FIG. 2.

The chambers T and T are provided with apertures respectively indicated as a and b, while the casing S, which constitutes a three-channel valve, is provided with a first orifice c, called load orifice, and with two ports d and e co-operating with blade V and liable to be alternately closed by said blade, according to its position.

In the absence of an exciting pressure supplied to the excitation chamber aperture a the diaphragm W which is only submitted to the force exerted by the spring X, keeps the tilting blade V in the position for which it closes the port d. For this first position of the blade a communication is established between the port e and the orifice c. In the presence of an exciting pressure supplied to the exciting chamber aperture a, a force balancing that of the spring X (plus an additional control pressure eventually supplied to the second chamber aperture b) causes the blade V to tilt towards the position for which it frees the port d and closes the port e. For this second position of the blade a communication is established between the port d and the orifice c.

All of the relays l to 27 of FIG. 1 are conformable to the skeleton diagram represented on FIG. 2, so that, in order to provide the clearest possible reading of FIG. 1, the different reference numbers of FIG. 2 are not repeated, and it will be sufficient to go back to this FIG. 2 to understand the principle of connection in any one of said relays 1 to 27 of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3 to 6 show distributors or valves used in the arrangement of FIG. 1 and yet to be described. In FIGS. 3 to 6 like references indicate like members.

FIG. 3 shows a pressure actuated two-way device comprising a casing C provided with two aligned orifices O and O and containing a sliding member SM forced on the one hand by a control fluid under pressure supplied through an aperture A and on the other hand by a spring Sp acting in a direction opposite to the direction in which the fluid pressure is operating. The sliding member is provided with one peripheral groove C, which establishes the communication between the orifices O and when aligned with said orifices. The spring Sp normally maintains the slide member SM in the position for which the communication between 0 and O is interrupted, whereas the fluid pressure moves said slide member to the position for which 0 and 0 are in communication.

FIG. 4 shows a pressure actuated three-way device which is comparable with the device of FIG. 3 except that the casing C is provided with three orifices 0,, O and 0 the sliding member having two grooves G and G and a longitudinal recess R provided in the portion of the sliding member facing the orifice 0,, said recess connecting grooves G, and G one with the other. A communication is established either between 0 and 0 or between 0 and 0 according to the position of the sliding member. Spring Sp normally maintains the sliding member in the position for which the communication between 0 and O is interrupted. The communication between 0 and O is established by applying a fluid pressure to A.

FIG. 5 shows a manually operated three-way device which is comparable with the device of FIG. 4 except that the sliding member SM, instead of being submitted to a fluid pressure as a push-button PB secured thereto. The spring Sp normally maintains the sliding member in the position for which the communication between 0 and O is interrupted. The communication between 0 and O is established by depressing the push-button. Locking means (not shown) may be provided for maintaining the push-button PB in the depressed position.

FIG. 6 shows an electrically operated three-way device provided with a magnetic core MC secured to the upper end of the sliding member SM and located in the magnetic field of an induction coil IC, the latter being connected to an electric circuit comprising a source of electrical energy ES and a circuit breaker CB. The spring Sp acts upon the upper end of the sliding member and normally maintains the latter in its position for which the communication between 0 and O is interrupted. The communication between 0 and O is established by energizing the induction coil by means of the circuit breaker.

Connected to a supply network delivering a fluid under pressure, for instance an air compressed under a pressure of 18 bars and used to start the engine, a main channel 28 supplies a manometric pressure-reducer 29 which brings down this pressure to a much lower value, for instance to 7 bars.

An automatically controlled distributor 31 (of the type shown in FIG. 4), is supplied, on the one hand, by the output circuit 30 of the manometric pressure-reducer 29 and on the other hand, by a control air circuit 32, which circuit is further utilized for controlling said distributor 31 through a branch line 32a. The distributor 31 is controlled in such a way that it is supplied through the circuit 32 when said circuit 32 is fed with control air and that the supply through the circuit 30 replaces automatically the control air supply provided by circuit 32 in case of a failure of the circuit 32. The distributor 31 supplies, by means of a filter 33 and of two manometric pressure-reducers 34 and 35 respectively, two circuits 36 and 37 operating under two different pressures, the circuit 36 under a pressure P,, for instance of 1.4 bars, and the circuit 37 under a distinctly lower pressure P for example of 0.8 bar.

The circuits 36 and 37, the first one through a manually operated micro-valve 38 (of the type shown in FIG. 5 with O vented to atmosphere) allowing to put it in or out of service, supply the different relays of the system.

The L4 bar pressure is transmitted, through the circuit 36, to the ports a of relays l2, l3, l4 and 19, as well as to the port e of relay 27.

In addition, the 1.4 bar pressure is transmitted, still through the circuit 36, to an automatically or remote-controlled electric slide-valve 39, (of the type shown on FIG. 6 with O vented to atmosphere) which may operate either under a remote-control by actuating a (not represented) control button, or by an automatic control starting it for any reason, for instance in the case of a tension failure to an automatically or remote-controlled micro-valve 40 (of the type shown in FIG. 6 with O vented to atmosphere) which is for example actuated when the user wants to switch over from the local operation to the automatic control or to the remote control. to a microvalve 41 for the push-button local operation, to a manually operated micro-valve 42 for re-arming valves operated by safety units, and finally to a manually operated draining-off micro-valve 43, said micro-valves 41, 42, 43 being of the type shown in FIG. 5 (with, as regards 41 and 42, O vented to atmosphere). The slide valve 39 is connected to the port d of the relay 1 and to the aperture a of the relay 4. The micro-valve 40 is connected to the port e of the relay 8. The micro-valve 41 is connected to the port e of the relay 9. The micro-valve 42 is connected to the port 2 of the relay 24. The micro-valve 43 is connected to the aperture a of the relay 8.

Still further, the L4 bar pressure is also transmitted, this time through a winding path 360 connected to the circuit 36 between the outlet side of the manometric pressure-reducer 34 and the micro-valve 38, to a pressure operated distributor 44 (of the type shown in FIG. 4 with O vented to atmosphere) as well as to the port d of relay 25. The distributor 44 is connected to the port d of the relay 4, to the aperture b of the relay 11, to the ports e of the relays 18, 19 and 25, to the aperture b of the relay 26.

The 0.8 bar pressure is transmitted, through the circuit 37, to the ports d of relays ll, 18, 21, 24 and 26, to the aperture b of relay 13 (which receives by another way the L4 bar pressure at its port d) and to the ports e of relays 17 and 23.

Through a conduit 30a derived at the outlet side of distributor 31, the 7 bar pressure is utilized for controlling the distributor 44, but by interposition of three series-connected pressure-controlled three-way valves 45, 46, 47, each actuated by a safety unit: a motor overspeed safety unit, an oil pressure control unit and a water temperature control unit, whereby the air flow through the circuit 30a is allowed when the value of the rotational speed of the motor, the value of its internal pressure and the value of the temperature of the cooling system are within a predetermined range of values.

The motor overspeed safety unit comprises a controller 101, for example of centrifugal type, driven by the motor and inserted in a line 102 receiving a fluid pressure, for exam ple an air pressure from the aforesaid supply network, and delivering said fluid pressure to the valve 45. If the speed of the motor does not exceed a predetermined value, the fluid pressure is normally supplied by the controller to set the valve 45 to its ON-position. If the speed of the motor exceeds said predetermined value, the controller internipts the fluid flow and the valve 45 is returned to its OFF position.

The oil pressure control unit comprises a pressure-actuated two-way valve 103 receiving a control pressure from the oil line 123 of the lubricating system and controlling a line 104 receiving a fluid pressure, for example an air pressure from the aforesaid supply network, and delivering said fluid pressure to the valve 46. As soon as the oil pressure in the oil line reaches a predetermined value, fluid pressure is supplied by the valve 103 to set the valve 46 to its ON-position.

The water temperature control unit comprises a deformable heat sensing member 107, inserted in the cooling circuit of the motor and controlling, through a rod 109, a valve 110. The valve is inserted in a line 111 receiving a fluid pressure, for example an air pressure from the aforesaid supply network and delivering said fluid pressure to the valve 47. If the temperature of the water does not exceed a predetermined value, the fluid pressure is normally supplied by the valve 110 to set the valve 47 to its ON-position, if the temperature of the water exceeds said predetermined value, the valve 1 10 interrupts the fluid flow and the valve 47 is returned to its OFF-position.

Valves 45, 46 and 47 are of the type shown on FIG. 4 (with vented to atmosphere) and valves 103 and 110 are of the type shown on FIG. 3.

The 7 bar pressure is also transmitted, through the winding path 30b connected to the conduit 30a, to a distributor 48 controlled by the relay 15, and controlling a usual pressure-actuated ON-OFF valve made up by a sliding device 112 (of the type shown on FIG. 3) inserted in the usual air-pressure line 113 which leads from a suitable source of starting air 114 to the various cylinders 1 15 of the engine 100, through an air distributor 115, said sliding device 112 receiving a control pressure from the distributor 48 through a duct 48a. The 7-bar pressure is also transmitted to a distributor 49, which is controlled by the relay 20 and controlling a usual pressure actuated ON/OFF valve made up by a sliding device 116 (of the type shown on FIG. 3) inserted in the usual fuel line 1 17 which leads from a suitable source of fuel 118 to the various cylinders 115 through a fuel distributor 1 19, said sliding device 116 receiving a control pressure from the distributor 49 through a duct 49a. The 7-bar pressure is further transmitted to a distributor 50 acting upon a prelubrication and draining-off pump, 120, and to another distributor 51 connected to the distributor 50.

The pump 120 for the pre-lubrication oil and drain off the motor is an air-pressure operated pump of known type, inserted in the oil line 123 of the motor 100. The operation of pump 120 is controlled by an air-controlled inlet valve 121 made up by a sliding device (of the type shown on FIG. 3) inserted in a line 122 connected to an air supply circuit which may be for example the starting air circuit. Valve 121 receives a control pressure from the distributor 50 through a duct 50a. A drain-off line 124 is connected to the oil line 123 by means of a manually operated cock 125 so that the pump 120 supplies the lubricating system with oil and drains off said system according to the position of said manually operated cock 125.

The distributor 50 is controlled by the micro-valve 43 (through a distributor 54 hereafter described). The distributor 51 is controlled by the relay 16.

The distributors 48, 49, 50 and 51 are of the type shown in FIG. 4 (with, as regards 48, 49, 51, O vented to atmosphere).

A push-button local stop micro-valve 52 (of the type shown in FIG. is connected to the ports e of relays 3 and 21, to the orifice c of relay 27 and to the micro-valve 43 which, as mentioned above, is connected to the aperture a of relay 8. This micro-valve allows to control the stopping of the engine at the very station where the system is installed.

The remote-controlled stopping of the engine is secured by a remote-controlled micro-valve 53 (of the type shown in FIG. 6 with O vented to atmosphere) connected to the orifices c and b of relay 8.

A distributor 54 (of the type shown in FIG. 4 with O vented to atmosphere) is connected to the micro-valve 43 and is controlled by the micro-valve 53, said distributor 54 controlling the distributor 50. This distributor has as purpose to prevent the operation of the prelubrication pump when the engine is stopped by means of the remote-controlled stopping microvalve 53.

In addition, the installation comprises three manometrical contactors, the first, 55, connected to the orifice c of relay 7, controlling a non-start alarm system, the second, 56, connected to the orifice c of relay 8 and to the micro-valve 53, provided for the signalling of the local stopping control and the third, 57, designed to indicate the disarming of the valves 45, 46, 47 being connected to the port a of relay 2, to the orifice c of relay 25 and to the aperture a of relay 10.

The operating purposes of the relays 1 to 27 are as follows:

relay 1 transmits to relay 9 the pulses delivered by the automatically or remote-controlled electrical slide-valve 39 and its operating position is determined by the micro-valve 40 through the relay 8;

relay 2 is a memory supplied by relay 25 and monitoring relay 1;

relay 3 transmits to the memory 2 the trigger pulse delivered by the stopping control micro-valve 52;

relay 4 is controlled by the electric slide-valve 39 and operates the relay 3;

relay 5 serves as a draining relay to the memory 2 and is operated, on the one hand, by the relay 2] and, on the other hand, by the micro-valve 40 (through the relay 8);

the non-starting relay 6 is called a first-in-time data" responsive relay: supplied by the memory 2, it delivers an alarm signal if the engine has not started before the end of the starting sequence;

relay 7 is supplied by relay 6 and impedes the delivery of the non-starting signal if the engine has started before the end of the starting sequence;

relay 8 allows the shifting over to local operation and is controlled by the micro-valve 43 and by the micro-valve 53;

the change-over relay 9 responds to the pulses delivered either by the local operation micro-valve 41, or, through the relay 8, by the automatically or remote-controlling valve 39;

the interruption relay 10 is controlled by the relay 25 and transmits the pulses it receives from the relay 9 only if the valves 45, 46, 47 are armed;

the relay 11 is a regenerating relay which constitutes one of the aforementioned control means (the first one) and receives the starting trigger pulses delivered by the microvalve 41 and transmitted by the relays 9 and 10, or those arriving through the electric slide-valve 39;

the memory relay 12 constitutes the aforesaid storage unit: it is controlled by the regenerator relay 11 and is supplied under the 1.4 bar) pressure P,;

the relay 13 is another control means (the second one) energized by the memory 12 and delivering a control pressure to the relays 5, 15, 16 and 17: as explained hereinafter, this relay device is simultaneously supplied by the main circuit under pressure P (1.4 bars) and pre-loaded under the pressure P (0.8 bar), so that it tilts only if it receives, from the memory relay 12, a control pressure P (of 1.4 bars), its tilting being thus possible only if the memory 12 is energized;

the relay 14, with a constriction 60 and a storage vessel 61, makes up a time-lag device (the aforesaid second time-lag device) which brings in a lO-second delay and which controls said memory 12;

the relay 15 operates the starting-air valve through the distributor 48 (the aforesaid third unit controlling the startingair valve 112);

the relay 16 controls the pre-lubrication (and drainingoff) pump through the distributors 50 and 51 (the aforementioned first unit controlling the pre-lubrication pump relay 17 makes up another time-lag device (the aforesaid first one) comprising, in its excitation circuit, a constriction 62 and a storage vessel 63: this device brings in a l O-second delay and actuates the aforementioned relays l5 and 16;

- the auxiliary relay 18 controls the aforesaid relay 14;

the relay 19 is operated by the memory 12 and supplies the next relay, referred to as 20; i

relay 20 transmits the pressure received from relay 19 to the fuel supply ON/OFF valve 116 through the distributor 49 (the relays 19 and 20 make up the aforementioned second unit operating the fuel ON/OFF valve);

relay 21 constitutes the aforementioned stopping memory, and it is controlled, on the one hand, by the relay l0, and on the other hand by the micro-valve 52 or 53, this stopping memory controlling the aforementioned storage unit;

the relay arrangement constituted by relays 22, 23 and 24 operates the memory 26;

the relay 25 controls the manometrical switch-over device 57, closing the latter to make appear the disarmed valves 45, 46, 47" alarm indication or preventing it from emitting such an alarm signal;

relay 26 is a memory controlled by the micro-valve 42 for re-arming the valves 45, 46 and 47;

the relay 27 is controlled (through the relay 8) by the micro-valve 40 and itself operates the local stopping microvalve 52 by putting it out of action when the arrangement is in the automatic control position.

The installation allows to operate the pre-lubrication pump 120, the fuel supply ON/OFF valve 116 and the starting-air inlet valve 1 12 by means of respectively the distributors 50, 49 and 48.

The sequential operation of this pump 120, of this supply valve 116 and of this inlet valve 112 normally causes the engine to run, said running being detected when an oil pressure appears in the lubrication circuit.

The starting sequence of the engine presents following stages:

setting under pressure of the fuel supply ON/OFF valve 116 and simultaneous operation of the pre-lubrication pump 120;

10 seconds later, stopping of the pre-lubrication pump 120 and simultaneous opening of the starting-air valve 112;

10 seconds later, closing of the starting-air valve 1 l2 and simultaneous suppression of the pressure upon said fuel supply ON/OFF valve 116;

if the engine starts before the end of the aforementioned second period of 10 seconds, immediate closing of the starting-air valve 112 with a maintaining under pressure of said fuel supply ON/OFF valve 116.

This sequence, which corresponds to the normal starting of the engine, is initiated by the action from either one of the micro-valves 41 or 39, which emit, directly or not directly as will be further explained, a starting trigger pulse to the relay 9.

The local starting is performed by acting upon the push-button of the micro-valve 41 (the micro-valve 40 is supposed to be in its local operation position).

When the micro-valve is in its automatic operation position, no result may be obtained by an action upon the local manual starting push-button of the micro-valve 41. The engine may only be started through an automatic or remote control, for instance in case of a tension failure, the starting actuation being then transmitted by the micro-valve 39.

The local stopping micro-valve 52 allows, either to stop the engine, or to interrupt the starting sequence under way, whatever the reached stage might be. It allows besides to re-arm the memory relay 26.

If one of the aforesaid valves 45, 46 or 47 comes into action while the engine is running and consequently brings on the stopping of the latter, it is not possible to initiate another starting sequence without previously pressing the push-button of the micro-valve 52.

The system operates in the following manner:

MANUAL STARTING The micro-valve 40 being in its local operation position, by acting upon the local operation" micro-valve 41, a starting trigger pulse is emitted toward the relay 9. This pulse passes through the relay 9, which is in its local operation position, as the micro-valve 40 used to put into action the automatic control does not excite it by an excitation pressure transmitted through the relay 8, and said trigger pulse passes also through the relay l ifthe memory 26 is armed.

The pulse transmitted by the relay excites, on the one hand, the regenerator relay 11 which arms the memory 12 (the relay tilts only if the engine is not already running, i.e. if the aforesaid valves 45, 46 and 47 do not emit any pressure onto its aperture b) and on the other hand, cuts out the stopping memory 21. If the stopping memory 21 emits a pressure acting upon the aperture b of the memory 12, the latter tilts.

The memory 12 acts, on the one hand, upon the regenerator relay 13 the aperture b of which is loaded by a 0.8 bar pressure and, on the other hand, on the relay 19 which, through the relay 20, sets under pressure the fuel supply ON/OFF valve 116 which opens the fuel line 117.

The aperture b and the port d of the relay 13 are respectively connected with the circuits 37 loaded under a 0.8 bar pressure and 36 loaded under a 1.4 bar pressure, so that, as explained hereinabove, said relay 13 may only tilt if the excitation pressure is of 1.4 bars, i.e. only when said memory 12 is armed, said memory 12 being excited under a 0.8 bar pressure.

The memory 12 will be armed only after the stopping memory 21 has been cut out.

The relay 13 emits its output pressure towards the relays 15, 16 and 17 (to the aperture a of the latter through the constriction 62 and the capacity 63). As the relays 15 and 16 are initially tilted by the relay 17, it is first through the relay 16 that the excitation pressure passes, and this relay puts in service the pre-lubrication pump through distributors 50, 51 and inlet valve 121.

At the end of a lO-second period, the relay 17 tilts and causes the relays 15 and 16 to come back to rest again.

Then, the pre-lubrication ceases and the starting air is admitted.

If the engine starts before the end of the lO-second period following the beginning of the starting-air inlet, the valves 45, 46, 47 deliver a control pressure to the distributor 44 which in turn, delivers a safety pressure which releases the memory 12 through the relays 14 and 18 and which, besides, act upon the relay 19 so as to maintain under pressure the fuel-supply ON/OFF valve 116, as well as upon the relay 25 to prevent the alarm signal disarmed valves 45, 46, 47" from appearing, said alarm signal resulting from the action of the safety pressure itself. Finally, said valves 45, 46, 47 act upon the memory relay 26 which is released.

In case the engine did not start ten seconds after the beginning of the starting-air inlet, the time-lag introduced by the constrictions 60 and the capacity 61 makes the memory 12 release by means of the relay 14, and the starting attempt is thus interrupted.

The combined action of the relays 14 and 18 allows to release the memory 12, either when the motor effectively starts, as indicated hereabove, or when the push-button of the stopping micro-valve 52 which controls the motor stoppage during the starting sequence is acted upon, said action interrupting the sequence.

It should be noted that in case of a local operation, the micro-valve 40 does not emit any excitation pressure towards the relays 5, 1 and 97 When the stopping memory 21 has tilted, the fuel supply ON/OFF valve is set out of pressure through the relay 20.

STOPPING OF THE ENGINE By pressing the push-button of the micro-valve 52, the stopping memory 21 is armed. SAid memory 21 makes relay 18 tilt and emit an excitation pressure towards the first timelag relay 14, which itself causes the memory 12 to tilt and to bring on a draining-off through the relay 11. Said memory 21 makes also tilt the relay 20, which suppresses the pressure upon the fuel supply ON/OFF valve 116 through the distributor 49.

The combined action of the relays 22, 23 and 24 allows to re-arm the memory 26 when the engine is voluntarily stopped and prevents this memory from being re-armed through the stopping micro-valve 52 if the engine is stopped by the action of one of the valves 45, 46, 47. In this case, the memory 26 may only be re-armed by the micro-valve 42.

AUTOMATICALLY OR REMOTE-CONTROLLED OPERATION An action upon the micro-valve 40 causes the relays 1, 5 and 9 to tilt.

The pressure delivered by the electrical slide-valve 39 under any actuation, for instance resulting from a tension failure or from an action by pressing upon a remote-control push-button as explained hereinabove, passes through the relay 1 and acts as previously upon the relays located downstream of the relay More particularly, the relay 1 1 tilts and emits a 0.8 bar pressure onto the memory relay 12 which gets armed only when the stopping memory 21 has released. The 1.4. bar pressure received then by the relay 13 makes it tilt, as explained hereinabove.

The pressure issued by relay 13 passes through the relay and arms the memory 2 which interrupts the emitting of any pressure by the relay 1, but only after the memory 12 has been armed. The memory 2 remains armed and sends its pressure onto the relay 6 which is called a first-in-time data responsive relay and which gives the possible non-starting signal only at the end of the sequence. The relay 7 prevents this alarm signal from appearing if the motor effectively starts, as it is excited by the security pressure transmitted by the safety elements 45, 46 and 47 and by the distributor 44.

it should be noted that in automatic operation, the system performs only one starting attempt.

In this case, the non-starting alarm signal does appear and is only suppressed by a second action upon the stopping microvalve 52, once the engine has stopped.

By pressing the push-button of the starting distributor 52, the memory 2 is cut out through the relay 3 which is monitored by the relay 4, excepted if the pressure emitted by the electric slide-valve 39 is still in action when this manipulation is performed.

It should be noted that the memory 2, supplied by the pressure coming from the relay 25, releases if the stopping of the engine is due to the action of one of the valves 45, 46 or 47.

In this case, the appearance of a non-starting signal is avoided.

The relay 5, the aperture b of which is subjected to the pressure emitted by the stopping memory 21, allows to drain off the memory 2 if one of the stopping micro-valves is acted upon.

The draining-off of the motor is performed by connecting the pump 120 with the drain-off line 124 by means of the manually operated cock 125 and by pressing the push-button of the micro-valve 43; the excitation pressure of 1.4 bars delivered by the circuit 36 is transmitted, through the distributor 54, to the distributor 50, which puts in service the pump 120. It should be noted that the relay 8 switches the system back to the local operation position when the micro-valve 43 is acted upon.

Be it understood that the invention is by no means limited to the described and represented method of embodiment which has been given only by way of example, the scope of this invention being best defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A pneumatic logical relays device for remote-controlling and monitoring a compressedair starting thermal engine, comprising a pre-lubrication oil distributor, a fuel supply distributor and air-starting distributor for respectively delivering pre-lubrication oil, fuel and starting air to said engine, a distributor controlled by series-connected safety means actuated by said engine and delivering a safety pressure when said engine is in operating condition, starting means delivering starting trigger pulses, first control means receiving said starting trigger pulses, a storage unit controlled by said first control means and by said safety pressure delivering distributor, a second control means controlled by said storage unit, a first time-lag device with a rated transit time t, controlled by said second control means, a first unit controlling said pre-lubrication distributor and controlled by said second control means and by said first time-lag device, said first unit opening said pre-lubrication distributor upon receiving a trigger pulse from said storage unit, a second unit controlling said fuel distributor, and controlled by said storage unit and by said safety pressure delivering distributor, said second unit opening said fuel distributor upon receiving a trigger pulse delivered by said storage unit or a safety pressure delivered by said safety pressure delivering distributor, a third unit controlling said starting-air distributor and controlled by said first time-lag device, by said storage unit and by said safety pressure delivering distributor, said third unit opening said distributor upon receiving a control pressure from said first time-lag device and closing said distributor upon receiving a control pressure from said storage unit or a safety pressure from said safety pressure delivering distributor, a second time-lag device with a rated transit time t controlled by said safety pressure delivering distributor and controlling said storage unit, said first time-lag device actuating, at the end of the time 2,, said third unit and said first unit which respectively opens said starting-air distributor and closes said pre-lubrication distributor and said second time-lag device actuating, at the end of the time t, 1 said storage unit which actuates said third unit and said second unit which respectively closes said starting-air distributor and said fuel distributor, in the absence of a safety pressure delivered by said safety pressure delivering distributor before the end of the time t, +t

2. Device according to claim 1, further comprising a first control fluid circuit under a pressure P and a second control fluid circuit under a pressure P P,, and wherein said first control means is made up by a regenerator relay supplied by said second control circuit and having an excitation chamber connected to said starting means and receiving said trigger pulses, and a second chamber connected to said safety pressure delivering distributor.

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein said excitation chamber is connected with said starting means through at least one change-over relay and one interruption relay.

4. Device according to claim 2, wherein said storage unit is made up by a relay supplied by said first control fluid circuit, said relay having an excitation chamber, connected to the aforementioned regenerator relay and a second chamber connected to said second time-lag device.

5. Device according to claim 2, wherein said second control means is made up by a relay supplied by said first control fluid circuit and having an excitation chamber connected to said storage unit and a second chamber connected to said second control circuit.

6. Device according to claim 2, wherein said first time-lag device is made up by a relay supplied by said second control fluid circuit and having an excitation chamber connected by means of a constriction and a storage vessel to said second control means and a second chamber connected to said second control fluid circuit.

7. Device according to claim 1, wherein said first unit controlling said pre-lubrication distributor is constituted by a relay supplied by said second control means and having an excitation chamber connected to said first time-lag device, said relay delivering an operating pressure onto said pre-lubrication distributor.

8. Device according to claim 2, wherein said second unit controlling said fuel distributor comprises a first relay supplied by said first control fluid circuit and receiving a safety pressure from said safety means and having an excitation chamber connected to said storage device and a second relay supplied by said first relay, said second relay delivering an operating pressure onto said fuel distributor.

9. Device according to claim 1, wherein said third unit controlling said starting-air distributor comprises a relay supplied by the aforesaid second control means and having an excitation chamber connected to said first time-lag device, said relay delivering an operating pressure onto said starting-air distributor.

10. Device according to claim 3, wherein said second timelag device is made up by a relay supplied by said first control fluid circuit and by said third unit through a constriction and a storage vessel and having an excitation chamber connected to said safety pressure delivering distributor through an auxiliary V relay.

starting alarm system and a so-called irst-in-time data responsive relay" provided to prevent a non-starting alarm signal from appearing before the end of the starting sequence, said relay being supplied by said second control means and having an excitation chamber connected to said storage unit and a second chamber connected to said second control means. 

1. A pneumatic logical relays device for remote-controlling and monitoring a compressed-air starting thermal engine, comprising a pre-lubrication oil distributor, a fuel supply distributor and air-starting distributor for respectively delivering prelubrication oil, fuel and starting air to said engine, a distributor controlled by series-connected safety means actuated by said engine and delivering a safety pressure when said engine is in operating condition, starting means delivering starting trigger pulses, first control means receiving said starting trigger pulses, a storage unit controlled by said first control means and by said safety pressure delivering distributor, a second control means controlled by said storage unit, a first time-lag device with a rated transit time t1 controlled by said second control means, a first unit controlling said prelubrication distributor and controlled by said second control means and by said first time-lag device, said first unit opening said pre-lubrication distributor upon receiving a trigger pulse from said storage unit, a second unit controlling said fuel distributor, and controlled by said storage unit and by said safety pressure delivering distributor, said second unit opening said fuel distributor upon receiving a trigger pulse delivered by said storage unit or a safety pressure delivered by said safety pressure delivering distributor, a third unit controlling said starting-air distributor and controlled by said first time-lag device, by said storage unit and by said safety pressure delivering distributor, said third unit opening said distributor upon receiving a control pressure from said first time-lag device and closing said distributor upon receiving a control pressure from said storage unit or a safety pressure from said safety pressure delivering distributor, a second time-lag device with a rated transit time t2 controlled by said safety pRessure delivering distributor and controlling said storage unit, said first time-lag device actuating, at the end of the time t1, said third unit and said first unit which respectively opens said starting-air distributor and closes said pre-lubrication distributor and said second time-lag device actuating, at the end of the time t1 + t2, said storage unit which actuates said third unit and said second unit which respectively closes said starting-air distributor and said fuel distributor, in the absence of a safety pressure delivered by said safety pressure delivering distributor before the end of the time t1 + t2.
 2. Device according to claim 1, further comprising a first control fluid circuit under a pressure P1, and a second control fluid circuit under a pressure P2 < P1, and wherein said first control means is made up by a regenerator relay supplied by said second control circuit and having an excitation chamber connected to said starting means and receiving said trigger pulses, and a second chamber connected to said safety pressure delivering distributor.
 3. Device according to claim 2, wherein said excitation chamber is connected with said starting means through at least one change-over relay and one interruption relay.
 4. Device according to claim 2, wherein said storage unit is made up by a relay supplied by said first control fluid circuit, said relay having an excitation chamber, connected to the aforementioned regenerator relay and a second chamber connected to said second time-lag device.
 5. Device according to claim 2, wherein said second control means is made up by a relay supplied by said first control fluid circuit and having an excitation chamber connected to said storage unit and a second chamber connected to said second control circuit.
 6. Device according to claim 2, wherein said first time-lag device is made up by a relay supplied by said second control fluid circuit and having an excitation chamber connected by means of a constriction and a storage vessel to said second control means and a second chamber connected to said second control fluid circuit.
 7. Device according to claim 1, wherein said first unit controlling said pre-lubrication distributor is constituted by a relay supplied by said second control means and having an excitation chamber connected to said first time-lag device, said relay delivering an operating pressure onto said pre-lubrication distributor.
 8. Device according to claim 2, wherein said second unit controlling said fuel distributor comprises a first relay supplied by said first control fluid circuit and receiving a safety pressure from said safety means and having an excitation chamber connected to said storage device and a second relay supplied by said first relay, said second relay delivering an operating pressure onto said fuel distributor.
 9. Device according to claim 1, wherein said third unit controlling said starting-air distributor comprises a relay supplied by the aforesaid second control means and having an excitation chamber connected to said first time-lag device, said relay delivering an operating pressure onto said starting-air distributor.
 10. Device according to claim 3, wherein said second time-lag device is made up by a relay supplied by said first control fluid circuit and by said third unit through a constriction and a storage vessel and having an excitation chamber connected to said safety pressure delivering distributor through an auxiliary relay.
 11. Device according to claim 10, further comprising stopping means delivering a stopping pressure, a stopping memory consisting of a relay supplied by said second control circuit and having an excitation chamber connected to said stopping means and receiving said stopping pressure and a second chamber connected to said interruption relay, said stopping relay delivering a control pressure to said second relay of said second unit and to said seconD time-lag device through said auxiliary relay.
 12. Device according to claim 11, wherein said auxiliary relay is supplied by said second control fluid circuit and receives a safety pressure from said safety pressure delivering distributor, said relay having an excitation chamber connected to said stopping relay.
 13. Device according to claim 1, further comprising a non-starting alarm system and a so-called ''''first-in-time data responsive relay'''' provided to prevent a non-starting alarm signal from appearing before the end of the starting sequence, said relay being supplied by said second control means and having an excitation chamber connected to said storage unit and a second chamber connected to said second control means. 